November 3, 2023

Dear colleagues: 

In my first months at UO I have spent a good deal of time discussing my aspiration for the university to be a place where everyone — regardless of their roles, backgrounds, lived experiences, identities, or abilities — can belong and flourish. This aspiration will only be met if we listen, understand, and engage with ideas, difference, and disagreement. 

With this aspiration in mind, I am writing to invite you and all UO employees to a forum on belonging, climate, and culture at the University of Oregon on Thursday, November 16, 2023, from 4:00 to 5:30 pm, in the Living Learning Center Performance Hall. (Updated time and location)* There will also be an option to participate virtually. 

My hope is that the forum will provide an opportunity to connect, listen, and learn from one another as we seek to create the campus and culture that we wish to be part of. I expect to start the forum with comments prompted by the IDEAL Climate Survey of UO Employees and by questions raised by participants as part of their registration for the event. Following this, we will convene at tables and in Zoom breakout rooms to discuss how we can work together to improve the culture and climate at the UO. We anticipate that each table and Zoom discussion will include a facilitator and a member of UO leadership. 

Please use this link by Monday, November 13, to RSVP, pose a question, and share what you hope to gain from the forum. This will help me ensure that the content of the forum is informed by your questions and event goals. 

I ask all supervisors to support the important work of further enhancing our campus culture by encouraging employees to participate in the forum and by working with employees to manage operational and staffing needs so that as many who wish to attend can do so. 

Thank you for all you do and for being a part of our University of Oregon community. 

Sincerely, 

Karl Scholz 
President

*Note: This is an updated time and location for the forum.